Dragon of the Vongola
by Azusa Mukami
Summary: Who is Tsunayoshi Sawada? A shy and clumsy young teenager that sits in the back of the class and sleeps. To some, a young teenager that harbors a strong flame of resolve. Only to one is he a boy that harbors the most dangerous power known to man, and that one person who knows... is himself.
1. Chapter 1

**The Dragon of the Vongola: Boss**

 **Childhood: Part One**

 **October 11**

 **Time: 9:58 p.m.**

"Ugh! Hah, hah, haaaaaaaaaa-."

"A little bit more, Nana!"

A brief moment of silence, and then:

"WAAH!"

A piercing cry rang through the night as a baby was removed from his mother's warm stomach and into the cold hospital room. On the hospital bed covered in light blue sheets lays a woman with shoulder-length brown hair who was clutching her stomach in relief. Her doe-brown eyes glimmered with hope, love, and happiness even though her body screamed of exhaustion and fatigue.

Thirty minutes later, the doctor and the midwife came back with a clean and quiet bundle wrapped in a blue blanket.

"Nana Sawada and Iemitsu Sawada, I present to you your healthy baby boy," the blonde midwife stated presenting the blue bundle.

Iemitsu held out his arms intending to take the baby first, but was ignored as the midwife walked to Nana's bed, placing the newborn into her arms. Choking back a sob, the woman held out her arms encompassing the baby boy into her warm bosom.

The baby opened his eyes revealing large brown eyes- like his mother's. Nana cooed at him clutching his pale hand gently in hers. Happy, she looked towards Iemitsu who was looking at his newborn son with amazement and love.

"What should his name be, Papa?"

It only took a minute for him to respond. A wide grin spread across his face as he did so.

"Tuna; My sweet tuna fish- err, Tsuna." He restated nervously under the heavy glare of both Nana and the midwife.

"Tsunayoshi Sawada, from his grandfather," stated Nana smiling sweetly.

The doctor nodded writing the name on his clipboard. However, unlike other occupants in the room, he wore a grim smile; his eyes crinkled in thought.

"Everything seems to be in order with Tsunayoshi-kun," he began looking up from his clipboard. "However, he seems to have quite the unusual birthmark. A golden sun," he explained showing the parents the picture. "It may just be uncolored skin spots that have not begun to fill in. Your son is unnaturally pale for his age; but other than that, he seems fine. Please take care of him, Mr. and Mrs. Sawada."

Both Nana and Iemitsu nodded, focusing on the baby in Nana's arms.

 **October 11**

 **Six Years Later**

 **9:58 p.m.**

 _Hurts._

 _Mommy… Papa…help_

 _Hurts_

The now six year old boy writhed on his bed, his face flushed red in pain. The nails on his hands had elongated into pitch black sharp claws sending drops of blood on to the floor. His body convulsed in pain as sharp tipped but camouflaged scales peeled his normally smooth and unblemished skin; a strange appendage was growing from his tailbone.

It was a miracle that no one had woken up. The young child had been sent to his grandparent's house after his papa had taken mama out on a vacation cruise. His Obaa-san was nice. She had given him a stuffed animal in the form of a dragon! It was gold with burnt orange colored eyes. Oddly enough, it had no wings like the dragons in his coloring books, but that didn't matter to Tsuna.

Tsuna whimpered again, feeling his teeth beginning to sharpen and grow with his head, which was growing larger and wider by the second. Overwhelmed by the pain, young Tsuna finally welcomed the black abyss; leaving his body to change in the light of the full moon.

The stuffed dragon lye innocently on the floor, its amber eyes glinting in the moonlight.

* * *

The next morning, Nana's mother had awoken feeling more vibrant than she had in years! Normally, this would be an occasion to celebrate; however, that was not the case.

Careful to not wake her husband, the woman hoisted herself out of bed and into her nephew's room. With a grim expression upon her face, she prayed to the Celestial Dragon of Heaven, Kami, whoever would listen to her that her grandson had not received the curse.

Her prayers went unanswered.

With a loud _THUMP,_ the woman went on to her knees and began to cry, because in the bed was not her adorable fluffy brown headed grandson, but an eight foot long dragon. Not just any dragon, but a Celestial Dragon! His scales were a mix between light and dark brown, his tail and paws being the only solidly colored appendage- tan. His paws had five thick and tan webbed fingers which accompanied his spiky sepia colored ruff. The wings on his body (which had to expand to at least twelve feet) were covered with burnt orange colored spirals that extended to the tip of his tail. He was gorgeous.

The dragon itself began to shrink thirty minutes later as the clock struck 9:58 a.m. back into the human Tsunayoshi. This only made the old woman cry harder. It took another twenty-five minutes for her to calm down, and that was only because she knew that she hadn't had much time left.

Mustering whatever courage and sanity she had left, the grandmother went inside the room, kneeling down beside the bed to stroke her grandson's cheek. "I am very sorry, Tsunayoshi. I have failed you as your grandmother, and I hope dearly that you can forgive me for what I have passed on to you."

With one last kiss on the little one's cheek, the old woman went back upstairs to her awaiting husband. The grandfather, seeing a severely somber face on his wife, began to ask what was wrong but was halted by a shake of her head. He didn't question her again.

Young Tsuna's week was then filled with stories of the different types of Chinese dragons and what each of them did as well as the ranking of all of the dragons all the way up to the important Celestial beings.

On his last day, Tsuna's grandmother sat him on her lap. The grandson looked up eagerly, wanting to hear another story on dragons- the Grandmother chuckled.

"I have no story for you today, little one," she began. Tsuna pouted, but relaxed into her soft hold. "I do have a present for you though."

Aware of the large eyes filled with curiosity directed straight at her, the old woman reached around her neck and untied a key attached to a purple string. The key itself was a dull bronze color made out of brass like any other key. What made this one different was the density and end shape. The key was about three inches thick with a triangle for the head. No, it wasn't a normal key at all; this key was used to open something unique and special. With a small sigh, the woman draped the key over her grandson's neck and retied the string allowing just enough room to breathe but not enough to remove.

"Tsunayoshi, promise me something before I pass on from this world." The brown haired child nodded, wondering why his Grandmother had such a sad look on her face. "Never take off that key, ever. That, and don't give up. It can't rain forever, it needs to stop at some point and let the sun shine through. Do you understand, Tsunayoshi?" Slightly scared at her serious tone, Tsuna nodded.

"I promise." And he meant it.

"The key that is wrapped around your neck, is your entire future," the woman continued leaning back into her chair. "Everything you need to know, your goal in life, what friends you'll make, who not to make your allies, can be unlocked with this key. Plus," the Grandmother chuckled, her hand falling to rest on the armrest. "That is now your last gift from me. Do use this knowledge…wisely…Tsunayoshi."

Pale chubby hands clutched the key in fascination, watching it sparkle in the remaining sunlight before tucking it into his shirt. "Thank you, Grandmother." The old woman gave another tired sigh, her eyelids closing on involuntarily. "Don't thank me…Tsunayoshi, for I have done nothing good for you at all."

Not knowing what else to do, the brunette climbed off his slumbering grandmother's lap and went back to coloring in his dragon coloring book.

The next day, Tsuna's Grandmother died at the age of eighty-four due to old age. Her husband died two days later due to depression.

* * *

A week after her father had died; Nana Sawada entered the former home of her parents with red eyes and a sniffle. Everything had been cleaned out, from the furniture to the multiple pictures hanging on the walls. It took everything she had not to burst into tears like she had the previous weeks. A man in a black suit with red lining met her at the front door. Nana's parents had left her with all of their money, their pictures, and their car (for when Tsuna was old enough to drive). In addition to all of this, her mother had left her the trunk in the attic, just for her son, Tsuna.

She could remember going into the attic when she was a child and looking at the strange triangular lock with no key. Of course, her mother had said that the key was lost forever, but she hadn't believed that at all. The trunk wouldn't be there if the key wasn't, would it?

"Thank you for doing this," Nana thanked the man with a warm smile. The man stumbled over his words as he offered to help carry the packed boxes of memories out to her car.

"No, no, you're already doing too much!" With a small chuckle, Nana hoisted the trunk up with her own two hands walked down the stairs, and placed it into her open trunk. "Phew, that was lighter than I thought it would be," she chuckled.

With one thing finished, all she had to retrieve were the boxes of picture and photo albums; and she would be on her way to pick up Tsuna.

 **One Year Later**

 **October 12**

 **2:57 a.m.**

It had happened again, this time whiskers had grown on to his muzzle. He had learned how to tolerate the pain from each transformation ever since he was four; now he was a natural- a natural born freak. None of the kids in his kindergarten had scales, or sharpened teeth. He was the only one there. His Mama had laughed when he had told her that he was a dragon- simply pushing blaming it on his own imagination. She hadn't seen the pointy scales that lined up to look like skin, and he hadn't had time to point out his sharpened teeth before she shooed him away.

So he had kept to himself.

 **Nobody had even attempted to befriend him except a pretty orange haired girl with round hazel eyes. She had smelt like flowers- the nice ones that his mother had called tulips- and cinnamon. Unfortunately, a brown haired girl with a mean looking expression on her face dragged her away mumbling something about "weak monkeys".**

 **(Tsuna had later learned that her name was Kyoko and her friend's name was Hana.)**

 **She had smelt strangely of dogwood and roses.**

 **A spiky black haired kid with a large grin smelt of rain water and earth. Tsuna wanted to bask in it and never leave because it was so comfortable just being in his presence. Once again, the boy was popular. So he was dragged away from Tsuna, leaving no one left for him.**

 **(His name was Yamamoto Takeshi, and his father made delicious sushi.)**

 **When it was show-and-tell day, Tsuna had practically burst with energy. The six year old had kissed his mother on the cheek, grabbed the bento box and his stuffed dragon (recently named Kin), and raced out the front door. It had taken five minutes less than usual to get to school and Tsuna was out of breath- but it was all worth it.**

 _ **I'm going to make a friend today! Nothing could go wrong! We'll tell secrets, and play house, and come over to each other's houses…**_

 **Anxiously, the fluffy brown haired ball of sunshine waited eagerly until the clock struck one p.m. All of the kindergarteners retrieved their items from their cubby holes and returned to their desks.**

 **Tsuna's hand shot straight into the air like a rocket when the teacher asked who had wanted to go first. She had laughed and backed away toward her desk. Nervously, the brunette strode to the front of the class aware of twenty pairs of eyes following his movements.**

" **Ano…My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi," he began, looking through his fluffy brown bangs. They all stared back at him with curious eyes, so he continued on.**

" **This is Kin, my stuffed dragon. He is only four years old and was given to me by my Obaa-san when I was two." Tsuna placed the dragon in front of his chest and waved its golden paw. Most of his classmates waved back, and that was the end of the presentation.**

 **Contrary to belief, Tsuna did not have any admirers of Kin who were looking forward to talking to him, nor did he have any hybrid classmates like him. Therefore, Tsuna spent the rest of his day alone.**

Sniffling to himself, Tsuna pulled out his triangular shaped key he had gotten from his grandmother, wishing more than anything that he knew what it unlocked. Maybe it unlocked a pirate's chest, or a diary of somebody famous. That would be amazing!

" _The key that is wrapped around your neck, is your entire future," the woman continued leaning back into her chair. "Everything you need to know, your goal in life, what friends you'll make, who not to make your allies, can be unlocked with this key."_

His eyes widened. His fate resided with the key, but where was it? What did he have to unlock to find his future?

He had looked everywhere, including his parents' bedroom, but could not find and triangle-shaped locks. It was frustrating!

"If you could just give me a hint," Tsuna whispered to the key, "then maybe I could return you to your rightful lock."

As if it could hear his thoughts, the key pulsed twice, exciting Tsuna. "Wow! Okay…ano, point me to your lock, please!"

It stayed silent. Tsuna hummed in thought stroking the top of the key. The key pulses twice more and started to heat up. The child's eyes lit up in recognition. In a book his mother had read to him, an orb had grown hotter and hotter every time the character moved closer to the treasure and grown colder when the character moved farther away.

Excited, he hopped off the bed and raced out the door careful not to wake his mother in the other room. The key grew warmer in his hand. Tsuna took a left, backtracked, and then went right when the key grew colder. Eventually, his travels had led towards a small wooden door in the middle of the wall. The brunette shivered in anticipation.

 _Creak_

 _Creak_

 _Creak_

 _Groan_

…

 _Creak_

One step, two steps…red steps, blue steps. Tsuna giggled at his own joke as he climbed all the way up to the attic. A small purple chest lined with black stripes sat innocently on the floor. His heart soared noticing the lock's odd engraving: a triangle. As silent and quick as a mouse, the brunette scampered towards the chest and inserted the key into the lock. It fit. A small click later and he was holding on to a fairly old brown leather journal. To Tsuna it seemed to glow brightly in an orange light. He thought it to be just right -an orange book for an orange dragon.

The clock chimed twice snapping him out of his daze. The chest was then closed and locked with the same small click, the journal pressed tightly against his chest as he raced down the steps.

 _Thud_

He winced, hearing the attic door close louder than he intended. In less than two minutes, the brunette was in his room hidden underneath the covers with a large smile on his face. "Happy Birthday to me."

 **I've gotten this idea from Mistress Tyche who has been waiting very patiently for me to post this story. Thank you very much for the inspiration and I will have the second chapter up when I update Team Japan now that I know people are interested in it.**

 **Azusa Mukami**


	2. Childhood (2)

**This is definitely the last childhood chapter of the tuna fish turned monstrous. I apologize for the long wait, and for al of those people who actually kept with this story. I applaud thee who have done so. With this, I give yo, The Dragon of the Vongola.**

* * *

 **The Dragon of the Vongola: Boss**

 **Childhood: Part Two (Finale)**

 **One Year and Five Days Later**

 **October 17**

 **6:56 p.m.**

The now eight year old brunette sat on his bed in the corner of the room, his head buried in a large book titled The Italian Dictionary. For his birthday, Maman had taken him to a book store. At the time, Tsuna had not been a big fan of books in general. Lots of kids at his school had picked on kids sitting innocently in the corner with books in their hands, and the brunette (no matter how much he protested) could not fight off big brutes. Plus, Maman had not been happy with the bruises marring his skin after he returned home. She would look at him with brown eyes full of sadness and anger, and guilt would flow rapidly within. Starting that day, Tsuna started wearing long sleeves, fashionable scarves, and bands to hide the multiple injuries he had received, pretending not to notice the knowing looks she still sent him.

Kawahira's book store, however, had a very mysterious aura around it. Stepping into it was like stepping into a new world. Books on long wooden shelves lined the walls, each bookshelf having a bag hanging upon the rack attached to the end like an accessory. Unlike new bookstores, Kawahira's held only informative books about random subjects. (I.e. Dragons, supernatural, dominoes, dictionaries.) There were no fairy tales or kids stories, just Grimm and biographies. As proclaimed in the store's name, the man who ran the book store was Kawahira. Short white hair, wide eyes, and loose clothing- it was very odd to see such a relaxed adult. Not only was his attire weird, but when Tsuna had finally chosen the books he wanted, the bespectacled eyes looked at him like he could see straight through his soul. The brunette felt revealed in front of the man, and his inner dragon didn't like that at all. Thankfully, the man quickly checked out the books and before he knew it, they were back at home.

His interest in different languages, however, came from his father. When the man had come to visit, Tsuna had listened to a conversation over the phone while Maman cooked, and he was fascinated! His father sounded so nice and fluid speaking the foreign language. Could he ever sound that native? There was only one way to find out.

Several days later, the whole Italian dictionary had been memorized. Proud of himself, the brunette promised himself to test it out later when his father returned. (Little did he know that the time for that wouldn't be until a certain wrathful liger arrives in Namimori, Japan.) He wasn't satisfied. A churning sensation in his gut had Tsuna rummaging through his bag before plucking two more dictionaries. _Now, what other languages could he learn . . .?_

 **Two Years Later**

 **October 12**

 **7:11 a.m.**

 _When Chinese Celestial dragons feel that their host is prepared, then the true transformations begin to take place. This takes place because the celestial dragon is the primary caretaker of their host. If said host is mentally unprepared yet physically prepared, the transformation will not take place. The same is to be said vice versa. The host must be prepared both mentally and physically before any changes can occur. Some may ask why physical strength is needed, and the answer to that is unknown. We can only hypothesize that a person's physical state is their health, and their mental state is self-explanatory. A person too weak in either category will either die, or become insane._

 _The first stage is what most knows as puberty for dragons. The host's body fully adapts to the dragon's (scales, sharpened teeth, abnormal strength and agility, enhanced senses, and an increased storage for knowledge. (Dragons are said to hoard knowledge and gold for eras until they die, and even then they keep it hidden.) Although the host may or may not grow in that month period, the dragons' puberty will be severely different from a human's puberty._

 _The second stage is-_

"Tsu-kun! Wake up, young man; you're going to be late!"

The little brunette blinked, the book closing with a sharp snap.

"Coming, kaa-san!"

Hopping off of the bed, Tsuna shrugged off his pajamas, switched into his normal Namimori uniform, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and ran down the stairs. Kissing Nana on the cheek, he grabbed a piece of buttered toast and a link of sausage and rushed out of the house with an _ittekimasu_. His mother shook her head, holding her cheek while smiling.

Rushing down the streets and avoiding the usual merchants had never been a problem for Tsuna. Ducking under arms heaving large boxes, and sliding between narrow spaces sometimes felt like a game; a game in which he were the mouse and time, the cat.

"P-Please don't do this!" A meager voice whimpered. Tsuna blinked, looking around the street for the voice and nearly giving the woman carrying a basket of apples a heart attack. He apologized profusely but did not stop running, rounding a corner in time to see a trio of what looked to be the fourth years huddling around a curled up ball of red hair. His stomach churned uncomfortably- it was never a good thing to get involved with bullies. He was only a second year, and they looked to be about a head taller than him; however, he couldn't just leave the puppy there. That was practically abuse! With a soft sigh, Tsuna called out to the three, surprising himself with how clear his voice was.

"Animal abuse isn't allowed within Namimori." Hands clenched at his side, the boy stood tall despite the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. "What did the puppy do to deserve this?"

"Ah?" One of them with dark brown hair stated, looking down at the puppy. "What are ya talkin 'bout, kid? This isn't a puppy." Stepping aside, Tsuna discovered that the trembling mass of red wasn't, in fact, a puppy, but a kid that looked to be a bit older than him. Heat rushed to his cheeks, but he continued on.

"It doesn't matter. Nobody deserves to be hurt like that."

"Yeah?" The red head flinched as the boy landed another kick to his side. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

 _What was he going to do about it? Fight- no, he was weak. Run away? No, he couldn't leave the red head to get even more hurt._

"I won't call Hibari-san," Tsuna stated nonchalantly, flipping open his mobile. Everybody knew Hibari. Just one mention of his name was enough to scatter a gang of thugs, so hopefully none of them would catch his bluff.

"Hi-Hibari?!"

They scattered quicker than the flies near humans leaving the trembling mess behind.

"It's okay now," the brunette reassured keeping his distance of at least five steps. "They won't bother you today with me around."

That seemed to do the trick. Uncurling from a ball, he could see uncharacteristic red hair, pale skin covered in bruises, and odd red eyes glancing at him cautiously. The red head wore the standard Namimori uniform though it had been dirtied beyond compare; Tsuna always had a spare within his locker.

 _"Thank you for saving me,"_ the red head thanked.

 _"I couldn't leave you to them, and I'm sorry that you have to deal with them. I have my own bullies to deal with too, haha…Um, if it isn't too personal, why are you speaking Italian?"_

The boy's face lit up, his face now the same color as his hair. " _I don't-_ I didn't know- I mean, I knew, it's just… Um, my name is Enma, Kozato Enma."

Tsuna smiled. "Sawada, Tsunayoshi. I'd like to be called Tsuna though."

"Tsuna-kun, then."

By the time they arrived at Namimori Elementary, most of the children had made it into their classes. As soon as Enma had changed into the spare uniform, they had rushed to their homeroom, efficiently creating a scene as Tsuna tripped over his shoe tie in his haste to get to class on time. As an effect, Enma also fell on to Tsuna just as the bell rang. Their breathing was ragged and heavy; faces flushed, and grins bright.

"Who's your friend, Tsuna?"

The boy in question blinked, glancing behind him to find the baseball loving second year with a large grin upon his face. _When did Yamamoto start calling me Tsuna?_

"Did you mean Enma-kun?"

"Is that who the redhead is? Hi, Enma! I'm Yamamoto, Takeshi, but you can call me Takeshi. I try to get Tsuna too, but it never works."

Enma flushed looking a bit uncomfortable. Tsuna had felt the same whenever his classmate began talking, but Yamamoto wasn't a bad person. Something about him just soothed his mind rather than scramble it like most people.

"A-ah…"

Tsuna laughed watching Yamamoto continue to pester his newly made friend into joining him for lunch.

"Maybe if Tsuna-kun does, then I'll go too."

His laughter abruptly halted, brown eyes glancing over towards the innocent redhead he called a friend. Said friend glanced at the brunette with wide, red eyes and a small smile.

Come lunch time, Yamamoto, Enma, and Tsuna could be found on the rooftop eating sushi and their homemade lunches. The California roll had to be his favorite; the fresh crunch of the cucumber and the sweetness of the rice took him by surprise. A small pool of guilt swirled in his stomach- Mama had made him a homemade lunch. How dare he pick off of Yamamoto's lunch made by his widowed father?

Said boy's eyes widened seeing tears start to pool in wide brown eyes. He panicked, drawing out his milk carton and a napkin. Enma took it a step further, grasping the tearful brunette's hand in his.

"Is it too spicy, Tsuna?"

"Did I say something wrong, Tsuna-kun?"

The second year student sniffled, dabbing wet eyes with the napkin.

"I'm fine. I'm not sure what came over me for a minute, haha."

The other two stared at Tsuna, bemused, but shrugged it off. They would trust his word.

 _The second stage is hormonal change. Dragons will constantly shift in view point while trying to their host. It is important for said host to remember that this is a normal change that all must go through at some point. Individuals will find themselves crying at the most absurd of things, for example, or laugh at one of the most tragic things. This is the dragon trying to adapt to their though process._

* * *

"I can do this…" Tsuna murmured to himself, watching as another batter struck out. "I can do this…" With the ace of their team pitching and having fun while doing it, he had absolutely zero percent chance of winning, let alone connecting the bat with the ball. Somebody pat his back roughly causing him to stumble forward. Adjusting the cap placed on his head, the young brunette stepped up to the plate.

The ace looked unbearably serious on the in the center of the diamond while standing upon the mound. Dark brown eyes were shadowed by the cap covering the upper half of his face, but his mouth was pulled into a thin line. If Tsuna had to guess what the guy was thinking, it would be something along the lines of _kill the twerp and win the game_.

His legs trembled violently, and it hurt to breathe. The sound of his heart beating loudly filled his ears, drowning out the cheers and words of encouragement of the team. Wet hands clenched the wooden bat tightly, but with the trembling legs, it didn't help improve his performance. The first ball whizzed past him and straight into the umpire's mitt. Seeing the pitcher rearing up for the second pitch, Tsuna closed his eyes and swung the bat with little to no coordination. He was surprised to see the ball roll in a straight line towards the trees…to his left. It was a foul, but definitely better than a strike.

This time, his heartbeat decreased in volume allowing him to hear the screams of excitement from his classmates. Tsuna imagined them to be a crowd all roaring with excitement; stomping on the metal bleachers, cupping their mouth so their cheers could be heard. His hands loosened on the bat's handle. The pitcher wound back his arm and the ball of spinning white fury came directly at him.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion. The wooden bat swung down to hit the ball, but suddenly it started to swerve up. Brown eyes narrowed, and the boy took a step back, adjusting the bat to angle upwards with the ball's trajectory.

 _Ping_

The crowd gaped watching the baseball fly high into the trees of the forest, and Tsuna pondered on whether or not it would be appropriate to scream his happiness like some people did in anime.


	3. Prefects, School, and Reborn

**misminor: I suppose that the stereotype on why some Americans believe Asians to be nerds stems from the fact that the top five countries are from Asia. I heard that the United States used to be in the top for education, so that's the fact I used, combined with the fact that I'm not necessarily using modern time for this fanfic. It'd be a bit too easy for Tsuna to be caught as a dragon.**

 **Guest: It is! Tsuna can't really take care of himself like the rest of the Disciplinary Committee, so his band is differently colored. A member, but not officially. I get to expand on that in the next chapter!**

 **D C JoKeR H S: I'm sorry if my spacing is off. I like your creativity, and thank you! You can thank Mistress Tyche, since she's my muse.**

 **nakamura1miu & Lady Mayiaa: All the way in October and November respectively... Thank you guys so much. **

**To all of the thousands of readers who are reading this fanfiction and staying faithful, I appreciate it so much. I love the reviews you leave as well! I'm sorry for letting you guys down with another short chapter. I'll make up for it, promise. For now, please enjoy~**

 **The Dragon of the Vongola: Boss**

 **April 28**

 **Five Years Later**

 **9:46 AM**

Namimori Middle was different than Tsuna expected. For starters, there were no more kind teachers that would hold your hand and help with hard expressions in math. Tsuna's sensei, a strict woman in her mid-forties with brown hair tied in a bun, made them write within notebooks and then assigned no less than thirty problems for homework. This happened at least three times a week! He would then despair with Enma and Yamamoto while frantically trying to finish some in school. Math, however, wasn't the worst—science was. The subject itself was interesting, but one person made it practically impossible to keep interest. _Nobody_ liked the man; Yamamoto couldn't keep a smile on his face longer than five minutes upon seeing him. Wrinkles underlining wary eyes, pale skin, and a full head of thin black hair all described the fifty-five year old man—Nezu-sensei. It was amazing no hair was lost with how many classes he had to teach. The reason for the large amount of dislike stemmed from his personality.

Coming from an elite school, Nezu-sensei would constantly relate each and every lesson with prior knowledge. The class would understand some points, but then the more complicated concepts would leave them behind causing confusion. More homework would be handed out, and again they would be left alone to handle it. Yamamoto was a lost cause for most of it leaving Tsuna and Enma to take the brunt of things. To take the cake, his dragon was always restless when it came to the teacher. With an apology, he would usually rely on Enma to take notes the first half of class while he _slept_. Occasionally, Yamamoto would take some really good ones which they had missed, but that was pretty much the schedule.

Somehow, he had also been recruited into the archery, and martial arts club. Loaded down with homework, unfinished class assignments, club activities, and spending time with friends, Tsuna almost didn't have any time to himself; no flying, no relaxation, and no connection. It was horrifying. It got to the point where his dragon would growl anxiously, its disappointment clear. Next, he would gradually begin to heat up, body temperature going from a measly ninety-eight point six degrees Fahrenheit (thirty-seven degrees Celsius) to a whopping one hundred degrees Fahrenheit (thirty-eight degrees Celsius). With a throat as dry as the desert, trembling body, and headache as massive as Mount Fuji, the brunette personally wouldn't overcome it until his dragon was satisfied with the peace and quiet (which only happened because his Mama would kick even his friends out and only disturb him to change the cold cloth, feed him medicine and/or food, and leave a pitcher of cold water with a cup).

The minute he got better, Tsuna would rush out the door (after a few moments to thank his kind mother) and go to an abandoned park miles from the border of Namimori. Only there would he ever truly be free; the wind serving as a strong wall, yet guiding him to the stars. His scales, a mixture of light and dark brown, were illuminated by the soft glow of the moon. The park itself had been abandoned because of him and the wolves. A kid had almost been violently disfigured due to the latter if it hadn't been for him. Tsuna had to give the pack animals credit—they could sense danger from miles away, and would protect each other until the end. He wondered if Yamamoto and Enma would be the same way towards him. On a similar matter, none of the animals dared to get close, but always stared him down with something Tsuna couldn't identify before scurrying away.

"Tsuna… Tsuna? Oi, Tsuna?"

Brown eyes snapped open, fluffy brown hair springing up with his head. "A-Ah. Sorry Yamamoto. I fell asleep."

The baseball fanatic laughed, patting the younger boy on the back. "Nezu-sensei puts me to sleep too, but I always get in trouble for it. It's a good thing his class is at the end of the day. Baseball always gets me excited."

The brunette smiled softly at that. "Yamamoto, you must be happy with your team. Isn't this the last game until Koshien?"

"Nah Tsuna, that's in the summer. These matches are just a warm up for the big leagues—"

A chill raked down his spine. Standing in front of the classroom was none other than the Prefect in everyone's nightmares. Hibari Kyoya. In Namimori High, there were five people to look out for. Yamamoto was one for his unparalleled baseball skills. The school's main idol was Kyoko, whose smile could brighten anyone's day. Most importantly at the top of the list was a man who brought fear to anyone just by saying his name. His love for Namimori far surpassed most. Rumor had it that he had even tested out of grades to stay within Namimori for as long as possible. Another rumor stated that the teachers were too scared to do anything to him. Steel eyes narrowed into slits while scanning the classroom. Both boys felt a bead of sweat drip down their forehead when they landed upon them, specifically Tsuna.

"Sawada," the teen spoke, and the brunette could hear the sharp tone signaling his doom. "Come with me."

Without a backwards glance, the prefect strode down the hallway. Hastily, the younger boy waved goodbye to Yamamoto and ran after Hibari. Walking slightly behind him, Tsuna was thrown off by his tense posture. It was almost like he was awaiting something. Whether or not it was good, however, was unknown. A minute later, the two found themselves on top of Namimori High's rooftop, otherwise known as Hibari Kyoya's territory. The door slammed shut with a loud _clang_.

"A-ano…Hibari-san…"

Steel gray eyes narrowed in on him instantly. "Sawada, you must truly be strong."

Tsuna blanked.

"The forest is forbidden for individuals under the age of eighteen." With a flick of his wrist, a shiny weapon came out of each sleeve; tonfas, the prefect's main weapon for disciplining others.

"Three years ago, two of Namimori's students were almost mauled within the forest. The ban has been in place ever since. For breaking her rules, I will bite you to death."

Brown eyes widened. "W-wait! Hibari-san!" It was too late. Before an explanation could be given, a tonfa smashed into the place where his head would have been had the brunette stayed in place. The large hole within the fence drained the color from the normally tan junior high student. Steel gray eyes glinted with excitement.

"Wao."

 _Left._

 _Duck._

 _Watch for the left leg._

 _Duck._

Guided by his instincts, Tsuna continued to evade the prefect's attacks much to the latter's annoyance. Meanwhile, the former's brain sped into high gear as he tried to recall the last time he had entered the forest. It had to be sometime soon; otherwise this 'fight' wouldn't be happening. _Ah. That's right._ During April Fool's Day, right before school was scheduled to start, his dragon had been restless. As a result, the boy had gone into the forest to be free.

 _Could Hibari-san have seen me...in my dragon form? I didn't sense anything when I transformed and kept low to the ground. How, then, did he know it was me?_

Tsuna blinked, snapping out of his thoughts just to see a tonfa rapidly rushing toward him. Without a moment of hesitation, he deflected the weapon from his face throwing off Hibari's momentum. Using that brief moment of confusion, the fluffy haired brunette sent a kick which connected with his side before scrambling away. The older boy seethed, clutching his left side as he struggled to stand up, a menacing aura starting to radiate around him. With a sharp glint in his eyes, the predator turned around only to find that his prey had escaped. With the weapons hidden once more, Hibari Kyoya stalked back into Namimori proudly. Later, police would find that their shifts would not necessarily be needed as the criminals and thugs had already been disciplined for breaking the law.

Nana greeted Tsuna with a smile, cheerfully waving from the kitchen as her son descended the stairs ten minutes after he had returned home.

"Okaeri, Tsu-kun! There's mud on the floor, and I hope your shoes are placed properly in the genkan. Maa, I was worried when you came rushing in the house. It reminds me of when your father—"

He zoned out with a sheepish smile to his mother. Sure he felt bad about worrying her, but the countless stories of _heroic details_ had him vomiting. Once upon a time he had been bullied due to the face that not one time did his father come and see his many accomplishments within school; however, as Yamamoto had stood up for him. Like Tsuna, too was in a bad situation with his mother dead, but at least his father took care of him. In the Sawada house, it was just him and his mother.

"Iemitsu sent us a postcard all the way from Antarctica, too! He's so thoughtful."

Tsuna agreed with his dragon (who started to growl angrily for reasons unknown to him). This was pitiful. The card itself had bright orange and green trimming. Mountains topped with snow sat in the background with a large, blue lake to the right. Standing in the middle of the scenery was a grinning man dressed in an orange suit with a yellow helmet upon his head. Lots of penguins surrounded him almost as if they were attracted to him, but Tsuna knew that penguins disliked the smell of oil because it polluted their waters. Plus, what was the probability of there being oil within Antarctica, the coldest continent on Earth?

Regardless of what he thought, his mother didn't deserve to be any sadder than she already was.

"That's thoughtful of him," stated her son with a small smile. Nana beamed, flipping over the salisbury steak before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Arigatou Tsu-kun."

 **September 12**

 **Six Months Later**

 **7:25 AM**

Out of breath, the fluffy haired brunette plopped down in his seat, head immediately dropping on to the old desk.

"Haha, Tsuna, did Hibari get you again?"

"You're lucky you had baseball practice in the morning, Takeshi."

The baseball laughed again, dark brown eyes bright and filled with glee. "I guess I am."

"Poor Enma had to walk himself, too. I'm sorry about that, Enma. We can go to my house later. Mama is making some sort of Italian pasta."

Yamamoto, now titled Takeshi, lit up. "Nana-san is cooking foreign food? That sounds good, Tsuna. I'll come over, too."

The brunette laughed, sitting up in his seat just as the bell rang.

If somebody had told him that he would a big part of the Disciplinary Committee with the most feared person in Namimori, Tsuna would cry because there would be no lies in the statement.

 **"Hibari-san, no! We didn't do it! We swear!"**

 **The brunette blinked, taking a break from mopping the stairs ascending to the second floor to hear the commotion. Leaning the mop on the stair railing, he climbed up until they were in sight.**

 **"There is no we about it," a deeper voice replied. "I didn't do anything."**

 **"Herbivores," the prefect hissed, and Tsuna could imagine the snarl upon his face. "One of you will admit to your dealings within this mess, or both will be bitten to death."**

 **So Hibari-san does have a reasonable side… Where was that when we were fighting on the roof?!**

 **The first voice spoke up again. "I didn't do it, Hibari-san, and neither did my friend."**

 **"What friend?!"**

 _ **The guy with the deep voice sounds annoyed, but the first one doesn't sound scared and is even trying to protect the other guy. It's obviously the first one telling the truth.**_

 **Suddenly, heat bloomed in his chest almost forcing a cough to arise before fading away. Was that the wrong answer then? Why?**

 **"Listen," the deep voice sighed. Now he sounded exasperated. "I have a little sister to pick up from primary, and a little brother from his daycare. There is no reason why I would vandalize this place if I have somewhere to be."**

 _ **Clack**_

 _ **Clack**_

 _ **Clack**_

 **Tsuna winced hearing the mop that had once been leaning on upon the railing fall noisily down the stairs. There was no eavesdropping anymore. If he were lucky, Hibari would simply let him continue to mop, but it was a slim chance.**

" **Sawada, now."**

 **Guilty, brown eyes glanced down to the ground as the boy slowly walked around the corner coming face to face with the two suspects.**

" **Solve this, and the one who's guilty will take over your job of mopping all of the staircases in the school."**

 **That sounded way too good to be true, but the chance was too good to pass up. His cellphone lay forgotten upon the counter at home, so his Mama would probably be nervous.**

In conclusion, the one with the light voice had committed the crime. With an agitated prefect behind you, two suspects staring you down, and a fifteen minute time limit, nobody could afford to make the wrong choice. Tsuna had also learned something else. Apparently, he could sense whether or not an individual was telling the truth. As of yet, said truth or lie couldn't be deciphered, but Tsuna wasn't a detective. It didn't really appeal to him either; however, Hibari seemed to sense something.

Whether it was a school day or vacation, the brunette would be woken at approximately six am and dragged to the roof where they would precede to _fight_ (in which Tsuna would be beaten mercilessly until the sadist deemed it fine for him to limp home). His mother would fret, disinfecting his numerous wounds as if they were third-degree burns. Of course, most of them would be healed by the time he returned home. A wide, purple bruise would be a pale yellow, with the pain lessening by the minute. After reminding Mama that no, he wasn't (truly) being bullied, Tsuna would disappear into his room.

"Sawada," Hibari stated after their daily duel. Today, the sadist must have been in a good mood. Instead of his whole body turning a dark shade of purple, it was just his arms.

"Hai?"

"Six every morning. If you're late, I will bite you to death."

A black band landed directly upon his forehead. Tsuna knew, as silent tears streamed down flushed cheeks, that whatever peace he had had would disappear forever.

Later on that day, Tsuna walked home with an overzealous baseball fanatic, and an amused redhead. The cool breeze helped to ease the dull throb in his head. Back home, the pain killers were sitting in the bathroom along with a delicious dinner. Maybe Enma and Takeshi could sleepover tonight since it was Friday. His mother's cooking wasn't to be underestimated—even Yamamoto-san (Takeshi's father) had been in awe of her cooking. When he had been sick, she had taken it upon herself to make a light chicken noodle soup and deliver it to his shop. The man had been so grateful that the week afterward he had invited the Sawada over to try out new and improved sushi for free. They even had leftovers they could take home! Ever since, a monthly visit to Takesushi would be on their calendar, just waiting to be fulfilled. (Personally, Tsuna thought Yamamoto-san had something going on with his oblivious mother and would gladly encourage the pair if the former ever acted on it. For now, the discounts are greatly appreciated.)

"Kaa-san, I'm home! Takeshi and Enma are here, too!"

"Ara, Enma and Takeshi-kun? My, my, you've both grown to be handsome young men! Come in, I'll make you something to eat. I've been a little busy with a new guest for Tsu-kun so dinner hasn't been started—"

"Haha," Takeshi laughed, grinning. "My Oyaji hasn't seen you in a while, Nana-san. Why don't we go to Takesushi?"

"Oh!" A hint of pink appeared on the woman's cheeks. "If it wouldn't trouble Tsuyoshi-san, then…"

Had Tsuna been listening, an uncharacteristic smirk would have crawled up his face hearing his mother, cheeks dusted with pink, call the man on a first name basis. Instead, his mind was whirling. They had never received guests before. It was a rare time that they ever stayed the whole morning, let alone until dinner. Was Mama in trouble? Why did it feel as if everything was going to get worse, fast? A hand

"Ciaossu."

The brunette hunched over, the butterflies in his stomach whirling violently within. A soft whimper came from his throat as the small headache turned into a full migraine. The last thing he saw was a small baby with an orange striped fedora and curly sideburns before the lights went out.

 **September 12**

 **3:30 PM**

 **Sawada's Living Room**

This…hadn't been what he was expecting. Maman (as she had self-proclaimed herself to be) was as much an airhead as the reports stated. The damn head of CDEF, too enraptured in fantasies, would give him nothing but the basics and garbage. The man was good at combat and leadership, but when it came to his familial duties… Spies monitoring the area in place of the Young Lion of Vongola would give provide more accurate data and they didn't even know the family! Regardless, Reborn had received what he wanted, for knowledge would be added when his charge arrived.

Despite her oblivious personality, Reborn couldn't help glancing at the woman's lively eyes. She hummed merrily as her delicate hands moved quickly to make yet another perfectly stuffed ravioli. Assumedly, it was part of the Italian cuisine she had been making before.

Sharp, brown eyes glanced down at his friend with concern, then at the baby with a mug of what looked to be hot chocolate. He and Enma had both been talking to Nana-san when Tsuna had fainted. Immediately he had been by his friend's side to hoist him on to the couch. The baby had said Tsuna would be fine, but there was something off about him. For one, Tsuna never fainted unless his intuition increased to the point of migraines and cramps. He was like Enma in the fact that when in danger, their bodies would warn them instead of instincts. Takeshi was different.

Secondly, there was something off about the baby. His dad had told him about prodigy babies born once in a blue moon, yet there was an aura surrounding him… It was dangerous and predatory. Sometimes when his dad found him being bullied, that same aura would emerge. He didn't want to come off as offensive (though the kid looked like he wouldn't care either way), so he kept his mouth shut and engaged in conversation, keeping his emotions at bay as Nana-san gave the kid another mug of _espresso_ , not cocoa. Beside him, Enma sighed in relief as his headache went away. Takeshi laughed, relieved that one friend was alright.

Then Tsuna awoke. At least, it _looked_ like Tsuna. It didn't _feel_ like him. Yamamoto shivered. For one, chocolate brown eyes once filled with warmth were amber and void except for…fear? It wasn't at him or Enma, but at the baby who didn't seem fazed at all.

"Maman, we'll be in Tsuna's room until dinner." The baseball player blinked. Without a word, the brunette stood and followed the kid upstairs leaving his friends to scramble after them.

Enma tugged on the collar of his shirt uncomfortably as the two stared each other down. When Nana-san had brought the cup to the baby in the chair, the red head could tell straight away that they weren't any normal kid. Espresso, high in caffeine and a stain for teeth, would never be given to a child two years of age. Not that Enma wanted to disrespect the kid, but… Something put him on edge. He could tell Takeshi felt the same.

"What are you?" Tsuna questioned, and both teens could feel _something_ flare inside of them at the clear and authoritative tone. Only Reborn noticed the odd wording.

"My name is Reborn," the baby greeted, kicking the door shut with the heel of his small foot. "My main objective is to make you into the best mafia boss!"

Amber eyes assessed the tutor with an unnatural intensity; something said tutor took into account for later.

"Dame-Tsuna, it's rude to not introduce yourself before asking."

From the rim of his hat, a small green lizard hopped into the baby's hand. He blinked, and the lizard had been replaced by a pistol gun painted green and black. _Ah, a toy gun? Why did his parents let him have one of those so early in his life?_ Red eyes widened in shock when the _toy gun_ clicked, the tell-tale signal of a loaded bullet, and shot directly at Tsuna! Before he could react, the brunette had already moved, darting around the bullets and straight at the insane kid. Enma could only stare as Takeshi started to laugh and talk about a game of tag with toy guns as Tsuna lashed out (with skill the red head didn't know the timid teen possessed) as the baby dodged. _What have I walked into exactly?_

"Enough with this child's play," the child demanded, landing a solid kick to the amber eyed teen's head making him crash to the floor.

"Haha! Looks like you were caught, Tsuna." Enma wondered whether or not Takeshi's coping method would last for as long as the weird things continued.

Tsuna groaned and clutched his head in pain, tears welling in his _normal brown eyes_. No sign of a fiery orange color in sight, but that wasn't exactly a sign to breathe a sigh of relief. "Th-that hurts a lot… What just happened?"

"As expected of a dame student," the baby smirked. The chameleon stuck their tongue out from on top of the orange striped fedora.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" And there was the Tsuna he knew and befriended. Apparently, that had also been the wrong thing to say (and do because Enma, too, had been on the receiving end of the brunette's loud voice) because a large mallet sent him kissing the ground again.

"Stop yelling. You'll worry Maman and ruin her perfectly made Italian cuisine made for yours truly."

"Oh that would be tragic," Tsuna grumbled, pulling himself off of the ground slowly. Enma could only imagine how much of a headache he could have.

Takeshi laughed again, but the strain in it was something that couldn't be missed. "So you're here to train my friend to become a mafia boss? Can I join this game, too?"

"Of course!" Reborn chirped, a gleam of approval flashing in his beady black eyes. By that time, Sawada Tsunayoshi had had enough.

"Wait! I'm not going to become a mafia boss, so Takeshi doesn't need to involve himself into any mafia game that's happening! I don't even know why Mama let a stranger into the house!"

The baby tsked. "I will be your new tortur—tutor from this point on. I'll turn those scrapping grades into proficiency marks that even your meager instructors have to acknowledge. Subjects such as history, science, math, English, literature, and physical education are some of them. You're lacking on basic etiquette, and the only redeeming quality you seem to possess are your choices in allies."

Enma chanced a glance at his friend who had been dissed on a level that would put his bullies' to shame. Tsuna, to his credit, was still sitting upright and hadn't started to bawl. If anything this was a natural occurrence, but he could still see the sadness lurking within the chocolate colored eyes.

"W-we already know our faults," he spoke up, surprising both his friends, and the baby who looked rather pleased. "What do you plan on doing to Tsuna, and what are you talking about with this mafia thing? As far as we know, Namimori's yakuza gangs are all dealt with by Hibari."

Beady eyes flashed with recognition. "I know. Eventually, Dame-Tsuna will scare them into submission or die trying."

"Like we'd let that happen," Takeshi butt in, slinging an arm around a startled redhead's shoulders. "Explain to us, kid."

"I'm not a kid," Reborn stated while pulling out a faded chart from his suit.

 **September 12**

 **5:30 PM**

 **Sawada's Kitchen**

Dinner was a tense affair. Nana smiled and struck up a conversation in which Reborn happily responded, complimenting her on the heavenly Italian cuisine she had prepared. If anything, it only made her blush and smile wider, much to Tsuna's dismay. He could already see his somewhat peaceful life coming to an end right before his eyes. Enma prodded the food with his fork, making sure to shovel some into his mouth when the chef looked at him with her soft brown eyes full of concern.

"Thank you for the food, Maman," Reborn sighed, patting his bloated belly contently.

"Ara! It's been such a long time since I've cooked Italian food! See, when Tsu-kun's father—"

Tsuna's mood soured. He sent a quick smile to his mother who waved and smiled, and he, Yamamoto, and Enma headed upstairs. None saw the small beetle scurrying across the wall, slipping into the room as the door shut behind them.

"My intuition," Tsuna breathed, breaking the silence, "says that Reborn isn't lying."

Yamamoto ran a hand through his tousled black hair, eyes narrow in concentration. "I won't let you go into this alone, Tsuna. You're my friend, and friends stick together through thick and thin."

Brown eyes teared watered. "Takeshi… Reborn never said anything about dragging you guys into this either! You and Enma can—"

"I just _told_ you, I'm not going _anywhere_." The pure conviction confirming the baseball teen's resolve. Brown eyes then glanced at a sullen redhead who looked as though there were too many gears functioning for him to speak.

"I'm part of this mafia thing as well, though I don't know my place… It's going to be hard, Tsuna. Are you sure you'll be up to this?"

"Not at all," the brunette stated bluntly. "There isn't another choice for me, but I'll do this for Kaa-san and Tsuyoshi-san… all of my friends in Namimori." His brown eyes gleamed, a glimmer of orange becoming apparent before fading. That settled it. "Let's get some sleep. Maybe this is the world trying to play a nasty trick on us."

With tired murmured agreements, the trio went off to prepare for sleep.

None of them slept well that night.


	4. A Classified Murder

**Another update within one month's time. I'd like to consider that progress! As of this moment, two things have been edited out. The first is the American comment in which I understand is fairly stereotypical and racist, so I apologize profusely for not ridding it ahead of time, and offending most who read my fan fiction. The other part is the toddler comment in which a guest has pointed out to me. I understand your pet-peeves because I have some of my own.**

 **From now on, I'm going to be shifting from canon events and adding my own spin on things, so bare with me for a bit more. Tsuna's childhood arc will have a combination of his inner circle with a side helping of romance on Nana's part as we prepare for Rokudo and the Varia.**

 **I would also, once more, like to thank the readers who have stuck with me and/or this fanfic, and welcome all the new readers as well! I love your reviews, even if it's just a small smiley emoticon or frowny face. It tells me that I need to work on enhancing character development or lighten up a bit, if that makes sense.**

 **KK: Thank you for pointing that out! It's a fix that should've been made so it isn't truly time consuming, and I appreciate it! Thank you for sticking with this fanfic.**

 **Zenful: I'm amazed that you liked that chapter! There have been myriads of dragon!Tsuna fanfics that I've looked at that have Tsuna's HDWM related to his dragon's awakening or abilities. For this fanfic, Tsuna won't necessarily have a HDWM. It's his dragon taking control in moments of danger; the dragon them-self, however, chooses hosts that are able to mature with each struggle and challenge. If Tsuna couldn't, then he would have died already. As the brunette ages, the dragon will have less of a control and rely on the host. I'm excited, too, so stick with me for a bit more? Thank you.**

 **D C JoKeR H S: That's what most would think... What kind of author would I be without the added thriller of suspense? :)**

* * *

 **September 14**

 **8:50 AM**

 **Sawada's Front Yard**

When Tsuna awoke it was to the smell of dew, and foul body odor. He could understand the latter because of Takeshi's weird sleeping habits (the athlete could be bundled in a sleeping bag and still end up in a position as if he had been run over by a car), but dew, as far as he knew, was the condensation of water on grass. Grass was outside. He was inside, so unless he was outside with the grass, there was no way this scent could be so fragrant. That or the window was open. Tsuna ran a hand through his now tangled brown hair feeling the odd strands of hair, as sharp as a porcupine's quills, prick his soft hands. A soft whimper escaped his mouth followed by a long yawn. With a sigh, the teen stood up from bed and went to close the window…

"Cold! Cold! HIIEEE!?"

The freezing sensation of water awakened his senses instantly. The sun, in all its bright glory, encompassed Tsuna in its warm glow in an attempt to bring heat to the boy's body. Unfortunately, the only thing it managed to do was blind him with its bright rays. Tsuna shrieked, covering his eyes and stumbling back only to trip on a padded lump. He went down with a hard thump accompanied by another shriek when the lump began to move.

"Ugh…" A husky voice groaned as a pale hand shot out to grab the boy's ankle. By this time, the teen in question had woken up in an unknown environment, been blinded by the luminescent rays of a hot ball of gas, _and_ had tripped on a moving lump thought to have been a rock! With tears in his eyes, the victim looked down at the large hand grasping his ankle and let out an ear piercing scream, successfully waking up the neighborhood. With strength he didn't know he possessed, the brunette hauled a rock from the ground and chucked it at the offender, desperately hoping to make contact. Sports really weren't his forte (regardless of the baseball incident a few years before), nor was luck, but his life was in jeopardy!

* * *

When Enma and Takeshi woke up, it was to the piercing screech of their best friend. They scrambled out of their sleeping bags, descending the stairs like their lives' depended on it. As far as they knew, Tsuna had always been easy to scare. Chihuahuas and spiders, for one, was something that brought shivers down the boy's spine. Enma knew that for the most part if one didn't bother them, they wouldn't bother you. Takeshi was just good with animals. Weirdly enough, even though their friend was afraid, none of the animals would even get _close_ to him, just bare their teeth and hiss. Tsuna also wouldn't hurt a fly, so imagine their surprise when they the front door slammed open and a body was found on the ground. The duo blinked looking from a pale Sawada, then to the unmoving corpse. Surprisingly enough, Enma was the first one to action.

"We need to get him inside before anyone sees."

Takeshi shook his head, glancing down at the body with hardened eyes. "No. By now, the neighbors have already seen us. We have to make it look like it's a joke before they call the police. The man is in a sleeping bag, so it looks like he's asleep."

The redhead sighed, glancing at a now grief-stricken Tsuna. "Let's check to see if he's alive first. It's a Saturday and fairly early, too."

With a soft sigh, the duo donned bright smiles and ran down the driveway to Tsuna. Takeshi went to check the man's pulse as Enma gathered Tsuna's sleeping bag into his arms and explained the situation.

"Don't worry, his pulse is still strong!" Takeshi sighed, slinging the man on his back. "Let's get him inside."

* * *

When Nana woke up, it was to the soft chirping of birds and the warm embrace of mister sun. She yawned, placing a hand on her cheek and glancing out of her window with a smile upon a beautiful face. It had been quite some time since she had woken so late in the morning. The clock read 8:56 AM. That was two hours after the daily routine.

"Ara, maybe it's because of Reborn-kun. ~"

While Nana was a sweet woman with a kind smile, she was not all dense. Her son, even with his new friends, struggled with school. On some days, her sweet Tsu-kun would give her a smile and, with bags accessorizing brown eyes, and thin scars decorating pale skin, head into his room. She didn't miss the twigs or leaves that trailed behind him, either. Her Tsu-kun wasn't prodigal in anyway, but he was _not_ dumb. His grades had improved with Takeshi-kun and Enma-kun, but she felt as though there was something missing. Nana had then made it her duty to wake up before her darling child and make sure everything was _perfect_ for him before time would take him away for school.

Nana wanted to trust her son. Tsuyoshi had stated, not unkindly, that her son was a growing boy that had to learn to deal with his own problems at this age in life; however, after talking to her fellow housewives, all that went through her mind was depression and bullying. If Iemitsu was home, then Nana would have someone to lend an ear to. If Iemitsu had been home, she wouldn't have to worry so much about her Tsu-kun because fathers always knew how to deal with boyhood troubles. If her husband had been home, she wouldn't have to worry about developing feelings for another man…

If Iemitsu was home, she and Tsu-kun would be happy. Nana could have her dreams, but that was the thing about dreams; they would forever stay within her mind as happy thoughts never to come true.

Before Reborn had come, soothing one of her many fears regarding her family, her husband called the house. Nana wasn't sure whether to cry, laugh, or do both. Instead, she took the phone into her hands and greeted the man with a bright tone. His usual rambunctious laugh that once would have sent butterflies flying through her chest made a single tear trail down her cheek. Her darling Tsunayoshi would never know of it. A tutor would be arriving within a day's time to teach her son how to be a leader. She prayed to whatever God would listen that her son with warm eyes and a dazzling smile would never turn out the way Iemitsu had. When Reborn arrived, though he was small and adorable, Nana could feel the tutor's aura of confidence and unmounted prudency, and knew the Gods had heard her. Therefore, in turn for his future guidance to her son, she would do everything in her power to make sure everything went well. Reborn had eased her most significant fear, and Nana was grateful.

A small smile formed upon her face; there was much more bustling in Tsu-kun's room. They must have awoken at the same time she had. Nana stretched and began preparing for another day.

* * *

Tsuna nervously retailed the story of finding himself unexpectedly outside with a stranger, then throwing a rock at the man.

"Tsuna, relax," Takeshi soothed, slinging an arm around the brunette's shoulders. "The man isn't dead, just unconscious. As soon as he wakes up, we'll see who and what he wants, alright? You need to calm down. What would Nana-san think?"

The tension seemed to drain from the teen at the mention of his mother. "You're right, Takeshi. Thank you both, but are you sure he's still…alive?"

"I'm positive! I checked with my thumb!"

Enma stiffened, glancing wide-eyed at the baseball player. "Takeshi… your thumb has its own pulse. Nobody measures the pulse with their thumb."

"A-ah…"

Tsuna paled. "T-then, does that mean…"

"I'm sure the thumb's pulse isn't _that_ prominent. Hold on." Lurching to the body propped on the bed, the redhead pressed his pointer and middle finger next to the man's esophagus and pressed down lightly. There was a moment where everything was silent, and then Enma pulled back and shook his head in defeat.

"He's dead."

"My life is over—!"

"You're too loud, Dame-Tsuna." With a solid kick to the head, the killer was down on the ground.

"Reborn-san, how would you dispose of this corpse?"

Tsuna shrank back at the fiendish smirk upon the infant's face. "Don't worry. I invited someone over, and Maman is about to go shopping."

 _Reborn called someone? I've only known him for less than a day, but I don't get a good feeling from this at all…_ To be honest, Hibari wasn't last on the list of contacts he expected Reborn to have. Both of them radiated bloodthirsty auras and made his hackles rise in caution, so why wouldn't they be in coherence? The prefect jumped through the window, the black jacket floating behind him like a long shadow.

"The baby called me and offered a fight in turn, so here I am."

"A-Ano, Hibari-san…" To tell the enforcer of laws in Namimori that he had murdered somebody in cold blood?! That was insane!

"Your first kill?" Tsuna did a double-take. Was that _surprise_ in his voice? "This herbivore wouldn't be able to take out a fly without some just reason, so I'll hear the rest of the story later. For now, disciplinary members will arrive within the hour to dispose of the corpse. Don't worry; they are the best at disposal."

 _That's not what I'm worried about!_ Tsuna wanted to cry, but kept that particular opinion to himself. After all, Hibari was keeping him out of prison where the true murderers were! "H-Hai. Thank you very much!"

Steel grey eyes focused on the Sawada with a glare. "You owe me a favor as well, Sawada." A moment later, the bloodthirsty prefect was gone leaving three teenagers, one corpse, and a baby within a room. "This should be a valuable lesson," Reborn chirped, breaking the silence. "The Mafia has their own cleaning crew, yet there will be times where assassins will make attempts on not only your life, but your families' lives as well. Do you want that to happen?"

He didn't. Nobody should have to suffer because of his actions, or the future decisions suddenly being forced upon him. An ominous feeling swelling in his gut told the new Heir of Vongola that this wasn't even the frosting on the cake. "I'll protect them with my life," he answered honestly, and Reborn smirked.

"In order to do that your weak body needs muscle. Get up, Dame-Tsuna. Your work has just begun!"


	5. Mama's Gift and the Bomber

**D C JoKeR H S: Right? He's strong, so he'll be alright.**

 **Cartoon-Caity: Woah. That's a really strong opinion, and it doesn't come off as rude. I, personally, don't have strong feelings for Iemitsu, so this isn't going to be an Iemitsu bashing fic. Tsuna, however, does because he hurt Nana despite the facade she puts on, and decides to drink and sleep as a way to relieve stress when home. That's how he sees it, and I won't change that perspective until the Varia Arc when he returns. I won't emphasize it much past the next chapter, and briefly in the Varia Arc (if/when I get that far) if that helps. Thank you for your support, and I hope you continue to support this fanfic.**

 **Bell2629: I hope you haven't waited too long! Thank you!**

 **thecatleader: *Raises both hands in the air* ...Yes sir/ma'am.**

 **DragonClanMaster: I'll be honest, I had no idea what you were talking about until I read this for myself. I should've been looking over my fan fiction and I won't give any excuses as to why I haven't been. As for Gokudera and crew...I've decided that as a writer, I'm going to mess with canon. I have a little bit of an issue with some of the scenarios (though it was interesting to watch), and some of them don't mix with where this story is going. I won't completely manipulate it though because that makes no sense to me...and it takes a lot of planning. Thank you for making this aware to me, and for your review. Hopefully this satisfies you to an extent.**

 **As usual, another (late) chapter. I've made a tiny/little/minuscule change to this fanfic, so now there are five instead of six chapters. Thanks to everyone, no matter what specie, that have supported this fanfic and have stuck through it! It's one hundred and twenty percent appreciated!**

 **The Dragon of the Vongola: Boss**

 **Three Years Ago**

 **October 9**

 **Sawada Household**

Five days before the marking of another successful year, a card from his father has shown up in the mail. At the time, a rosy-cheeked brunette was humming to herself in the kitchen as secretive glances were thrown at Tsuna. It ruined the suspense of a surprise, but it was the thought that counts. Flipping through each envelope or postcard were boring; taxes and bills brought no joy, and who would be sending messages to him?

With a swift kiss on her cheek, the teen ran upstairs to start on his own personal hell, otherwise known as homework. It wasn't until nighttime that he realized something was amiss. First off, his dragon began to feel restless, so in turn, he did too. A light sheen of sweat coated his body, followed by a nervous twitch of fingers (which, oddly enough, began morphing into claws), and a lack of concentration. It could have been a number of things wrong, and at the time, Tsuna had yet to go flying, so he shrugged it off.

The next warning came as a mood change. One minute the howling of the wolves were nothing but a slight distraction, and then there was nothing more he wanted to do than rip their throats out. At that point in time, the boy stopped attempting to finish work from hell and headed outside. The third and final warning was Mama's lack of response.

"Mama, I'm heading out for some fresh air!"

Wind caressed the hair of the earth with gentle nips as crickets started their chorus. Moonlight illuminated a pale face that lost its smile, slowly becoming more anxious as seconds flew by. Pivoting on his heel, the boy quickly ascended the stairs, the front door's bang drowned out by the slam of Nana's. A rosy-red woman greeted him with a wobbly smile, her eyes swollen and pink with a tissue pressed against her nose.

"Tsu-kun… Ah, I'm—"

"You can let it all out," he soothed, thin arms wrapping around the woman as a strong embrace. "Crying will help with all the stress."

A soft whimper escaped as a response.

"Please let me do this, Mama. Let me protect you." His dragon purred in agreement, yet something about it seemed to snap his mother right out of it.

"No," she stated firmly, a brief moment of shock passing over her features. Tsuna loosened his grip considerably offering a small, sheepish smile. "A mother is supposed to protect her child—"

"And you're doing amazing, Mama." He kissed her cheek. "But even guardians have their limits. You always protect me, so this time, in thanks, I want to protect _you_."

With a choked sob, Nana was pulled into another warm embrace as tears streamed down her face. "Arigatou, Tsu-kun… Arigatou..."

It wasn't until later, after Mama was tucked into warm covers and sound asleep, that the postcard was found. With a trembling hand, the brunette snatched it up and ran outside, flying down streets of houses until the forest was in sight. His dragon began to stir restlessly at the sight of looming trees and clear sky. The wind seemed to howl in agreement; gusts increasing in speed as the suspense grew. Even Tsuna felt better being outdoors! However, there was something that he needed to do first.

The postcard in his hand had grown slightly damp from sweat, but the writing was still legible. Taking a deep breath, Tsuna began to read:

 _My beloved Nana and Tsu-kun,_

 _Papa has flown to be with the stars! ~ Today, our boss took us on a vacation to a very warm place (though it wasn't really a warm place). We now are building a place in the desert! Isn't that cool? I may get to see you two soon! Accept this gift as my apology for not returning sooner: for my beloved, new cooking ware and a necklace with a shining ruby to symbolize my yearning and your strength. For my Tuna Fish, a couple of Italian and Spanish dictionaries. He's shown an interest in learning foreign languages, so I thought he would appreciate them. Say Happy Birthday to him for me._

 _Iemitsu_

Tsuna, at a loss for words, stared at the card. On one hand, burning it would soothe the rage bubbling within his chest. On the other, he had almost no clue what Mama would do if she found the postcard gone. Tsuna could count the times he had seen his father at home on _one_ hand. The amount of hands doubled when dealing with phone conversations. Of course, he had read about the men who went on grand adventures, leaving their families behind in order to gain some sort of ultimate boon. To protect them, make money to support them, or to find someone. Once upon a time, Tsuna had not only believed in it, but had personified the image on to his father. Now, the more cynical side showed. Years of watching Mama cry and watch with eyes full of love and happiness stare at the wall as if Iemitsu would simply appear to embrace her.

Tsuna knew a few things to be certain: his father wasn't just a deadbeat. The taxes and bills of the house with his tuition were paid via that man's job. He wasn't dumb enough to believe the construction worker lie, but whatever the man did paid high wage. Mama never had to work outside of home…and maybe that was why she cried. He himself didn't like to go to school in the summer for cram after not having to in primary. That was change. Mama would have to go through a lot (because there was only so much a minor could do) by herself… He wouldn't allow it.

 **October 13**

 **Present Time**

 **Sawada Household**

It wasn't that he disliked birthdays—presents, friends, Mama, and the most chocolate filled cake were like heaven on earth to him. The thought of more tears due to an absence of _that man_ brought a heavy feeling in his stomach. Lately, Mama had been growing more into herself with a certain sushi chef's help. He couldn't restrain a bright smile recalling a moment of vivid clarity when the two had immersed in conversation the entire time Takeshi entertained him with lousy attempts at math homework.

Brown eyes suddenly snapped open as his body flung to the right. A mallet struck the pillow a second later and Tsuna breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good morning, Dame-Tsuna," the voice of Satan chirped, and Tsuna swore he heard the angels singing.

"Why do you always do this, Reborn?!"

A smirk found its way on to the toddler's face. "A mafia boss is always prepared."

"I already told you—!"

"Stop complaining. Hibari doesn't stop for fluffy brunettes."

This time it was Tsuna's turn to smirk. "I'm not going to school today."

Leon morphed into a mallet. "Oh? And why is that?"

He was treading on thin ice now, but there was no way he'd stop now. Seeing as Tsuna wouldn't be answering any time soon, the baby devil took to extracting them by force. With a startled shout, the brunette was sprinting for his life. Ten minutes later, Namimori Middle School's final bell signaling the beginning of first period rang. Reborn tsked in disappointment though nothing showed on his face. The question, however, was left unanswered. As Reborn went to do…whatever he did when left alone, Tsuna dressed quickly, snatched an apple and sprinted out the door. Mama was out visiting a friend giving him free reign to finish the plan. Up ahead, a certain baseball fanatic closed the restaurant behind him, turned around, and grinned at the fast-paced brunette.

"Takeshi!"

"Tsuna! We have to hurry. Dad's not going to be back until the evening, but I don't know exactly when."

"That's fine," he assured, slowing down slightly so his friend could match pace. "We don't need much, but the decorations are at the border of this district."

They had no money for cabs either, but it wasn't _not_ a good day to run. For once, the sun wasn't completely covered by ominous looking clouds, and the breeze was cool enough to combat the heat (that was sure to rise by the afternoon). Since it was a school day, the amount of people in the market area was significantly less than on the weekdays, too. After a few minutes of weaving between merchants and people trying to get to work, the pair finally made it to their first destination: Miura's Design.

 _Ding_

"Welcome to Miura's Design! Do you need anything specific?" A young woman chirped. She had brown hair pulled into a neat bun, wide brown eyes, and a delicate face. A dazzling smile was thrown their way, and Tsuna returned it in kind.

"If you don't mind. I want to create a romantic evening—"

The smile upon her face brightened considerably. "Hahi! A romantic evening? Complete with flowers, candles, and dinner on the beach before you depart on a long voyage never to return…"

"Ano…I think I'm a bit too young for that." Takeshi snickered. "It's actually for my kaa-san. I want it to be something casual, yet lasting. I know it's a bit vague, but—"

"Ah! I've got just the things! One moment please, and do look around just in case you find something you like!"

And with that she headed into the back of the store leaving the confused duo to wait. Not even two minutes later, she had returned with a big bag of plush animals holding red and purple hearts, and picture frames of assorted colors. "I can get balloons and flowers, too. If you put these animals around the room, hang these picture frames from the ceiling or on the walls, and then cook something delicious, I'm sure your okaa-san would love it."

It was perfect! Since sushi was the main course anyway, some aquatic animals would make for a good background. The pictures would bring up old memories, and then…hopefully, things would work out. There wouldn't be anymore tears shed because of _him_.

"This is awesome!" Takeshi laughed, voicing his opinion. "How much does it cost?"

"About five hundred yen."

The boys winced pulling out their wallets. Seeing their pitiful expressions, the young woman stated, "But since it's for your okaa-san, you can have a twenty percent discount! Only four hundred yen!"

Their wallets were significantly lighter than beforehand when they exited the shop, yet the grins upon the boys' faces never wavered.

"The only other thing we need are flowers. I can get them from the store next door, and you can head back to drop this stuff off and start preparing dinner. Is that alright?"

With a nod of approval, their purchases were given to Takeshi and their paths diverged. On the narrow street surrounded by giant trees and wild grass under a nearly cloudless sky of blue, he felt free. His dragon purred in approval when he took off on the narrow path like a plane clearing the runway, his already wide smile stretched to the point of looking maniacal, but no one could see him, and there was little else on his mind. The path inclined before abruptly declining, but that didn't deter the teen from taking a running leap and soaring through the air, landing on the flat area beside the steep hill, and continuing. He laughed with an excited shout, brown hair ruffled from the wind. Eventually, the path lead off to the city where myriads of people lingered for one reason or another.

Tsuna grinned coming to a slow jog while smoothing back his hair. Making sure his clothes were as unruffled as possible, he was about to step out into the public when the sound of heavy panted reached him. Mechanically, the Heir of the Vongola turned around to find a silver haired male bent over, face as red as the red carnations, and eyes closed tightly. They rested their hands upon their knees taking a huge breath before looking directly at Tsuna.

"You…" The guy started, swallowing a mouthful of air, "Are the tenth, right? That's what Reborn-san says, so I've been observing you. The only thing that really impressed me was your athleticism, but in reality, you're stuck in a fantasy! There are battles happening in Italy over the throne, people dying, and you're buying something for a _romantic evening_?"

Tsuna's eyes narrowed. "Though it's horrible, that doesn't concern me. I've never gone to Italy, and I'm not going to because I'm not becoming a mafia boss."

"Tch!" The brunette jumped out of the way as something was thrown and _exploded_ right where he had been!

"Are you crazy?!" Tsuna cried, catching the dynamite and putting out the flame. "We're in the middle of the woods on the border of the city! You could start a fire with these and not only kill me, but kill the animals in here!"

"Like you're leaving the people of Vongola?!" This time, there were more dynamites thrown and he struggled to put out each one.

"It's none of my concern, but if you're going to continue to endanger _my_ city…then I'll have to take you down with force."

The bomber grinned, preparing to light more dynamites but was startled by the amber tint practically glowing in normally mocha brown eyes. It reminded him of someone…but this wasn't the damn time to reminisce! Grabbing a handful of dynamites, he struck them quickly using the friction of his stiff fabric, intending to finish this with one last move! Even though the kid was at least fifty yards away from him, the moment he stepped about twenty percent of the distance was covered. There was a cold chill raking down his spine at the murderous look in their eyes. A light sheen of sweat coated his forehead and his hands trembled as he attempted to throw the bundle at the quick-paced brunette to no avail.

His fist cocked back and the assassin could only stare as his doom rushed towards him…only for a large gust of wind to replace the pain. There wasn't any heat on his hands and the sweat had mostly flown off. Green eyes stared into brown; an assassin to the boss; a cat to a dragon. The dynamite clattered to the ground followed by their owner.

"Why...?"

The Tenth glanced down at him with confusion, yet no arrogance or pride were seen. "Why didn't you end me when you had the chance?"

"Oh." They tugged a strand of their unruly hair and it was such a normal reaction that it _hurt_ to watch but he _needed_ to know why! "I just wanted you to stop before we killed the innocents within the woods, or yourself."

"Then let me ask you this…if these simple animals were something you cared for, why couldn't you care for the humans in Italy?"

"I do care. The difference between the people in Italy and the creatures here though is that this is _my_ territory, and _my_ home country. I'm honored to defend it more than anything else because this is where I belong and call home."

And everything just snapped into place. The silver haired teen looked towards the sky and laughed and laughed and _laughed_ before propping himself upon one knee. Slender fingers took ahold of a burned hand.

"I apologize for my acts of endangerment to the place the Tenth holds dear! As the looser of this battle, I will serve you faithfully until the end!"

Tsuna stared. His dragon shifted restlessly and he couldn't tell if it was from irritation or pleasure. "That…really isn't necessary in all honesty."

"But I am going to, Tenth, or should it be Juudaime since I'm in Japan...Juudaime!"

His dragon cooed as the brunette shuddered at the determination in his tone. "Right. If you aren't hurt or anything, you could help me out with kaa-san's gift."

Tsuna offered a hand. With a grin, the bomber clasped it firmly and pulled himself up. Together, they walked to the flower shop.

It was only a few steps into their walk when he realized he never got the teen's name.


End file.
